Shortland



April 20, 1954 A. SHORTLAND WELT ROD MECHANISM OF STRAIGHT BAR KNITTINGMACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1951 Inventor MM k m' .1 1%

April 20, 1954 A. SHORTLAND 2,675,688

WELT ROD MECHANISM OF STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 9, 19512 Sheets-Sheet 2 42\ FIG. 3.,

Patented Apr. 20, 1 954 WELT ROD MECHANISM OF STRAIGHT BAR KNITTINGMACHINES Arthur Shortland, Leicester, England, assignor to MellorBromley & Company Limited, Leicester, England Application March 9, 1951,Serial No. 214,766

Claims priority, application Great Britain March 10, 1950 Claims.

This invention concerns welt rod mechanism for Cottons patent and otherstraight bar knitting machines. fashioned blanks for womens stockings ona straight bar knitting machine, to draw the initial courses of thefabric away from the needle by means of a welt bar having welt hooks orwelt instruments engaged with thread kinks of the set-up course, toplace a welt stick or welt rod on the fabric by hand and to engage theends of the stick or rod with draw-ofi straps, and then to manipulatethe welt bar by hand to transfer the kinks of the set-up course from thewelt hooks to the needles (the welt hooks being subsequently disengagedfrom the fabric) so that the welt stick or rod reposes in a loop of thewelt fabric; the fabric of the leg is thereafter drawn away from theneedles by a pull applied to the rod or stick by the straps. Proposalshave been made in connection with Cottons patent and other straight barknitting machines having automatic welt turning mechanism, for theprovision of means whereby a single welt stick may be temporarily heldabove the level of the fabricancl lowered to the fabric at theappropriate time for engagement by the hooks on the straps. Theseproposals involve the insertion of the single stick into suitablesupporting means by hand and, in the case of a machine incorporatingseveral divisions or sections, these proposals would involve theoperator moving. along the machine and inserting a single stick into thesupporting means at each division.

The object of the present invention is the provision of improved weltstick or welt rod mechanism in which there is a magazine into whichseveral sticks or rods may be loaded and single sticks thereafter beingdelivered from the magazine at the appropriate time and employed each inthe manufacture of a single stocking blank.

Therefore the present invention in a Cottons patent or other straightbar knitting machine having welt turning mechanism and draw off straps(or their equivalent flexible means such as cords, all of which will, inthe appended claims, be comprehensively denoted by the term bands)equipped with hooks for engaging the ends of a welt rod or stick to drawthe fabric away from the needles, the combination of a magazine for aplurality of welt rods and means for effecting the delivery of a singlerod from the magazine at the appropriate time in the manufacture of eachstocking blank and for presenting it above the fabric at a'position tobe engaged by the draw-01f hooks. Preferably'the magazine is dis- It isknown in the production of posed in front of the needle line (i. e.towards thefront of the machine and at the side of the needles oppositethe needle beards) and the straps are arranged to carry the deliveredrod rearwards from the magazine towards the needle line, in reversemovement of the straps, to a ready station in which the rod awaitsengagement bythehooks in draw-off movement of the straps. This permitsthe magazine to be disposed at a location such that it and its containedpile of sticks will not obstruct the operators view of the knittingneedles and their adjacent cooperating elements.

"It is preferred to provide means for holding the rod, presented at theready station, at a position.

above the welt instruments (such instruments being provided on a weltbar) during the production of the initial courses of the welt fabric andfor lowering it after the passage of the welt instruments from beneathit. This arrangement ensures that the welt rod descends on to the fabricitself and not on to the welt instruments. It also assists in ensuringthat when this lowered rod is engaged by the draw-off hooks, the rod canpass below the welt instruments to draw a bight of welt fabric beneaththe latter.

This invention further provides in a straight bar knitting machinehaving flexible draw-off straps equipped with hooks for engaging theends of; a welt rod to draw the fabric away from the needles in adraw-01f movement of the straps, said straps being movable in thereverse. direction preparatory to the draw-01f movement, a welt rodmagazine, for the reception of a pile of rods above the straps, disposedin front of the needle line,

said magazine having a mouth through which the rods may be loaded intoit, guides for receiving the ends of a welt rod discharged from the baseof the magazine and for guiding said rod to a ready station, near theneedle line, in which the rod is disposed to be engaged by the hooks ondraw-off motion of the straps, and catch mechanism. operable on reversemovement of the straps, for releasing a single rod from the magazineonto the straps for conveyance by the latter along the guides to theready station.

The invention is broadly applicable to Cottons patent or other straightbar knitting machines having welt turning mechanism of the type whereinthe welting instruments mounted on a welt bar are inserted from thefront or plain side of the needles to receive the thread loops or kinksof an initial welt course, are subsequently retracted during theknitting of part of the welt,

3 and finally advanced to the needles to restore or offer the said loopsor kinks to the needles.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the machine (showing-sufficientofit to permit it to be identified) and of the welt rod mechanism;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are sections, on a large scale, through the magazineand associated parts showing three successive stages in the release ofarod;

Figure 5 is an elevation and,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one. end of the magazine; 1

Figure 7 is a perspective View ofa trigger at the left hand end of themagazine.

For the purpose of identifying the machine, reference is invited inFigure 1.to the needles. I, sinkers 2, knocking-over bits 3, jacks 4,slur-cockaround the latter.

' stocking blank and before the start of the next 5, sinker bed 6,sinker cap 1, machine frame simplicity to. consider thernechanismprovided. for. a..single; divisionzorsectionofai-multidivision.-

a1 machine oi: the mechanism provided. for. a.

singlexheadi machine;

The magazine 42 is disposedatalocationnear the. front. of thetable &-.of the machine, slightly rearwards and. above.- the' usual. taker-up.roller. 51 to whichithez two. take-up: straps. I8..are attached and. on.which; the: stocking. blank is I wound; up as it isknittecL. The.magazine comprises;. in the.

main',.end members. I 3 atopposite ends of the divisionand each. formedwithavertical slot Mat.

itsinner face. These slots I4 are-arranged tozreceivetheends-of .aseriesof-iweltirods Ildisposed: inthemoneabove theother and areopenatthetop. to provide. a mouth through: which. therods may be loaded-intothemagazine. Thedischarge.

of the weltrodsone by one, ashereinafter de scribed;. is controlled. by.triggersa. :9;-WhiCh.- are pivoted one .oneachmemberr I3... EachitriggerL9: dependsfrom. itszpivot 20.'at..the front of. the-rods:

I1. and.has;a protrnsionlj or: slotwhi'ch'nndersliesthe lowermost.rod..It will. be appreciated; that when .this trigger: IBiiS: swunglearwards(i. .e'. towards. the needles; I.) the-rods are-released; but;

in. order. topreventallrodsiother. than the-lowers most rod.from-falling; dowm out. of. the. sl ots; the.

trigger is provided, with. a. detent..22 which; when.

the trigger is swunggearwards, itself movesirear wards and entersbeneaththe-lowermost rodbut one. As illustrated in Figure 3, whenthe-trigger I9 swings forward again, under the influence. of

spring 23 the protrusion.2l passesbeneath.the rod ITneXt above that justreleasedlasshow'n in Figure 4) so that saidnext rod (and'ver'y rod'above it) is prevented" from 'fallin'g'down the."

slots I4.

It will therefore be appreciatedthatthis m'ech= anism provides means'whereby each tim'e the triggers I9 are swung rearwards, a singleu-od'isreleased to fall? downfrom the' magazine 42. This. rod II- enters a:groove or.- channel 54.-cut in the inner face-of each guide:53,beingttherexdisposed.

beneath .aninturned tail 24 on the lower en'dof;

each triggen.

It may here bementionedthat. the two triggers I 9 are formed right and.left hand, but all details;

blank, the-straps are unwound from the take-up roller. 5]. and are drawnover the roller last mentioned, either. by operation of this lastmentioned roller or by operation of some other strap-engagihg' device.movement carries draw-off hooks 55 on' these straps to a ready position(Figure l) in which they are disposed adjacent to the lower part. of theperiphery of the second mentioned" roller 58. Specifically, the strapsmay be wound by hand (e, g. by handle 33) onto the roller5'6 and thelatter retained in its wound-up condition, by means ofi amanually-releasable paw1. 25.1 acting onratchetewheel 25,- in oppositionto suitable draw-01f force'acting, on roller 57. Forexamplezthisdraw-offforce may be. supplied 1 by aweight Z1. attachedato cordZB, which latterextends-over pulley 29 to1 a drum 3 0 onsor connect.- edtoroller 5T;

Thereverse-movement of the straps. I8 andof: the'hooks 5.5'is also:employed to-etfect discharge of the lowermost rod l'i from the magazine.42 and to carry that .rod,rearwardato.theready: position in proximity tothe needle line. The dis.- charge. of the lowermost rodi isefiected: bythe hooks 55 themselves which ('as'willbeseen from Figure 3) engage thetails 24' of? the triggers. I9

- and swing the: latter-'rearwardly so that the. rod

falls on to. the straps: I8fin front of .the'hooks55'. The rod iscarriedzrearwardson the; strapsby a cam-shaped protrusion;3zl on theupperrsurfaceof each strap.

As the straps; I 8rtravel.'towards.cthe needle -1ine,. the' rod. I! is.-carried. with. them. by these. pro-- trusions. 31,. along the guide;tracks: 5. !;v These tracks-:51 are-: slightly.- .upwardlyinclineditowards the needle line. (itcbeingnotedzthatthey intersect thegeneral plane oniwhichthestrawlfl travel'to'i and from;thezneedlexlinezl butzi'n the: vicinityv of the top.ofi'theisecondirollen 58:they:turn verticalsly upward.assh'owniorrEigure 1 The cam shap'ed members 3 I operate:to propelthe-rodsalongsthese. tracks": 54 and: finally: to raise-it into the upwardextremities? of the latter. This is the readyfi positionzot. the rod.and-tin this attitude the cam shaped members 3| come to a standstillwith -the rod resting. om them: (Figure- 1).

Thezrodithus presented at theready position ishel'cfiaboveth'eilevelaofithezweltcbar IiI-and welting: instruments I2;thuspermitting the. latter tobe advance'd'abeneathittowardsthe'nee'dles. I so asito takeloops or'kinks of the set-up:course De-' sirablyrhowevenzat eachendfof theweltflba'rsI- l the latter.is; equipped witlna curved guard; 32: which extends towardsithesneedle'line for. at leasti'the": length: of the welt. instruments: and soensures that, irrespective. of the: position... of the scam. shaped:proj.ection's-:..3I,: the. weltirod I! "at the; readyrposition'zissheldsafely; atxa level-zabovesthe' welt instruments I 2,. both: astheinstrumentstade va-nce to: the needles: I tortake-the; set-up course1- and as they arewithdrawna from; thexneedles; dun-.y ing; theproduction. of:the first par-t ofthe eIt'.

At an. appropriate stage the; movement of: the welt-bar II andinstrlurnentsatzzaway fromnv the needle.line,,the take-up rollere'lyisicausede to 7 rotate .(e; g, ,bYq'IGlBELSB? of pawl- .25).'-so.that": the takee up straps I 8 are; drawn away flOIIlrthfi needle line.This causes the cam shaped projections 31 to be moved from beneath thewelt rod ilpresented at the ready position. The rod descends on to thewelt fabric and immediately afterwards is engaged by the drawoif hooks55. The latter, travelling away from the needle line as the straps aremoved, draw the welt rod away from the needles and owing to the shape ofthe guides 54 for the ends of the rod, the rod is drawn downwardsslightly. It'thus draws a bight of welt fabric beneath the weltinstruments I2 which at this time have come to a standstill. The weltinstruments l2 are thereupon advanced to the needles I to ofier orrestore the kinks or loops of the set-up course to the needles, and aresubsequently disen aged from these loops orkinks. 1 As the straps [8continue to be wound onto the take-up roller 57, the welt rod I!continues to move along guides 54 away from the needles I durin theproduction of the remainder of the stocking blank, and. eventually thewelt rod passes around the take-up roller in the usual manner. I Whenthe stocking blank has been completed and has been pressed off, theblank and its welt rod I! is unwound from the take-up roller 51, and atthe next rearward movement of the straps l8 preparatory to knitting thenext blank a further welt rod, is released from the magazine 42.

It will be appreciated that in a straight bar knitting machine havingmore than one division of needles, mechanism as aforesaid is providedfor each division, it being desirable however to place all or a group ofthe take-up rollers 51 on a common shaft 34 for rotation by a commondevice such as 21, 28, 29, and to place all or a group of the rollers56' on a common shaft 35 to be wound up by a common handle 33'and to beretained'by'a common 'detent 25, 26.

What I claim is:

1. In a straight bar knitting machine having a straight line of needlesand welt forming instruments associated therewith, the combination offlexible draw-oft bands equipped with hooks for engaging the ends of awelt rod, means to move the bands in directions towards and away fromthe needles, a magazine to accommodate a pile of welt rods situatedabove the bands and disposed in front of the needle line, guidessituated below the magazine and extending towards the needle line, therebeing one such guide for r each end of a rod and both of them open toreceive a rod-end upon discharge of a rod from the magazine, means onthe straps to engage a rod thus located in the guides and to move ittowards the needles to a ready position when the straps are moved in theappropriate direction, and catch mechanism associated with the dischargeof the magazine and comprising release means actuated by cooperationwith the bands as they are so moved.

2. Apparatus comprising the combination according to claim 1, in whichthe means to move a rod towards the ready position comprises abutmentscarried by the bands to engage behind the rod-ends to carry the rod tothe ready position, said abutments having cam surfaces which serve toraise th rod as it arrives at that position and when movement of thebands is reversed leave the rod and allow it to be lowered towards thefabric.

3. Apparatus comprising the combination according to claim 1, whereinthe guides terminate, at their ends adjacent the needle line, inupwardly directed slots which arrest further movement of th rod towardsthe needles during movementqof the straps inanappropriate direction butpermit it to move upwardly away from the fabric, and the straps carrycamming abutments which engage behind the rod to propel it to theupwardly directed slot whereupon continued movement of the straps in thesam direction causes the abutments to force the rod upwardly by camaction and thus raise it above the fabric and welt forming instruments,movement of the straps in the opposite direction enabling the rodv firstto drop into the welt formation and thereafter to be engaged by thehooks by which draw-off of the fabric is then effected.

4. In a straight bar knitting machine having a straight line of needles,the combinationfof welt-forming instruments, flexible draw-off bandsequipped with hooks for engagement with a welt rod, a magazine toaccommodate a plurality of welt rods and so situated as to depositarodon to the draw-off bands in front of the needles, means to move thedraw-off bands in opposite directions towards and away from the needles,and means carried by the bands and engageable with a depositedrod-during movement oft-the bands towards the needles to carry such rodto a ready station above the fabric, said draw-01f bands being adaptedto engage such rod by means of their hooks during movement in theopposite direction away from the needles.

5. In a straight bar knittin machine having a straight line of needles,the combination of welt-forming instruments, flexible draw-off bandsequipped with hooks for engagement with a welt rod, a magazine toaccommodate a plurality of welt rods and so situated as to deposit arod-on to the draw-01f bands in front of the needles, means to move thedraw-off bands in opposite directions towards and away from the needles,and means secured to the bands and engageable with a deposited rodduring movement of the bands towards the needles to carry such rod to aready station above the fabric, said last mentioned means serving duringmovement of the draw-off bands in the opposite direction to leave thesaid rod in a position to be picked up by the hooks of the draw-offbands whereby such rod is drawn with the fabric away from the needles.

6. In a straight bar knitting machine having a straight line of needles,the combination of welt-forming instruments, flexible draw-off bandsequipped with hooks for engagement with a welt rod, a magazine toaccommodate a plurality of welt rods and so situated as to deposit a rodon to the draw-oil bands in front of the needles, means to move thedraw-off bands in opposite directions towards and away from the needlesand means carried by the draw-off bands which last mentioned means, whenit is moved towards the needles, will first engage a rod released fromthe magazine and will carry it to a ready station above the fabric andthen operate to raise the rod above the welt forming instrument, and onthe return movement of the draw-off bands will lower the rod into aposition to be engaged by the hooks of the draw-off bands.

'7. In a straight bar knitting machine having a straight line ofneedles, the combination of welt forming instruments, flexible draw-offbands equipped with hooks for engagement with a welt rod, a magazine toaccommodate a plurality of welt rods and so situated as to deposit a rodon to the draw-01f bands in front of the needles, means to move thedraw-off bands in opposite directions towards and away from the needles,and means carried by the draw-off bands at a attests positiomthereomspaced; from the. hooks'-iin the? direction ofem'ovement: of. thebands-,. which last mentionedv means; when it is. moved towardsithe'needles; willfirst engage a rod .released;.from: the magazinaandi will;carryv it .toi a: ready: station above; the fabric: and: them operate toraisethe rod' above 4 the. welt. forming; instrument and; onthereturmmovement of. the. draw-off bands w-ill lower the rod. into; a.position. to be: engaged by the hooksaof; thedraw-off bands. to drawittan'd the'fabric. away from the needles.

- 8., In; a) straight. bar knitting. machine; having. astraight: lineof. needles, the. combination of welt turning instruments; flexible.draw-off: bands equipped" withhooks for. engagement with awelt mm; a;.magazine to. accommodate a. plurality ofirweltrods, guide;.tracks to."engage opposite endssof' av welt rodzand extending between the magazineand a. ready station spaced from the magazine andsituated. above' thefabric as it first leaves'theneedles, means'to deliver the'rcds one atia timeto said guide tracks. to be conducted alongithem toi -the readystation, means. on the draweoif bands-to engage arod released from the:magazine, and means: to move the draw-off bandsto cause areleasedrodtobe carried to the ready station and. afterwards to cause the hooks toengage'such rod in:the neighborhood of the ready station and draw therod and the fabric away from the needles;

9; Ina straight bar knitting machine having a straight line of' needles;the combination of welt turninginstruments, flexible draw-off bandsequipped. with hooks for engagement'with a welt rod,- a magazine toaccommodate a plurality of welt" rods, catch mechanism associated withthe magazine-for releasing one rod at a time, means to deliver a rodreleased by the catch mechanism to the; fabricinfront of the needles andin such aposition: as to be engageable by said hooks, andmeansto-movethe draw-off bands'in oppesitei directions: towardsoandl' awayt fibmiithe needles to cause theho'oks" inithelast mentioned movementtodra-wthe: rod: and that fabric away from the needles, said-batch mechanisminclnd ing an actuating. member disposed.initheepathv ofi the. hooksaforesaid:wherebythe said liooks' operateathecatch mechanism asthe:.hooks:= arev adVancedtowarda the needles.

10;..In; a. straight. ban knitting. machinezhav ing aistraightv line ofneed1es,.the. combinatiom of weltitur'ninginstruments; flexibledrawi-ofibands equibpedawiththookssfon engagement iw-ithsa; welt: rod,aimagazineto; accommodate a. plurality of. welt..rods,..catch..mechanismassociated with: said: magazine: for releasingonerodi. at a time; said, catch: mechanism comprising-:trigger devices foropposite ends of. the rods whereof each; trigger. devicesismovablebetween rnd-a-retainingandrodareleasing-attitudes: amtv eachihass a stopnormallyengaged under a: rodi inuthe' retaining, attitude;

which; stop is disengagechf-ronr the rod in: the

releasing attitude, meansr to deliver a rod1re-- l'easedbyr the catch;mechanism to the; fabricnin front of thezneedles and in-such a position.astozbe. engageable: by-said; hooks; anoh means tomove the; draw -offbands to 094115917118 hooksftos draw the rodrancl the fabric away fromthe: needles;

saidgrcatch'. mechanism including. also aidetent whichrenters above arod aboutto be released asthe trigger devices are moved: into the:releas ing; attitude References Cited in the file Of this patent.

UNITED STATES." PATENT-S Number Name Date 2217520 Miller Oct. 8; 194'02269;463- Liberknecht .Jan. 13, I942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number" CountryDate 265;?74' Switzerla-nd Man-1, 1 950

